Nothing’s Phone (3a) Community Edition: A closer look
Nothing has announced the Phone (3a) Community Edition, a fan-designed smartphone shaped over seven months by emerging creators through the company’s Community Edition Project. With more than 700 submissions and expanded categories this year, the initiative reflects Nothing’s broader philosophy of building products hand-in-hand with its community. Only 1,000 units will be made, with India getting exclusive access through a Bengaluru drop event.
A project built around community creativity Nothing’s Community Edition Project gives fans and creators a chance to help design real products. After its debut in 2024, this year’s programme expanded across hardware, software, accessories and marketing, offering more touchpoints for creative talent to contribute.
More focused and collaborative process in 2025 Learning from last year, Nothing shifted to announcing all winners at once instead of staggered selections. This enabled a more cohesive workflow and tighter collaboration between creators and the company’s design teams, improving the overall quality of the final output.
Over 700 submissions show rising creator interest The 2025 brief went live in March on nothing.community, prompting hundreds of submissions and community votes. The volume and diversity of entries underline growing enthusiasm for co-creation with tech brands.
Four creators brought the Phone (3a) Community Edition to life After voting and selection, four winners were chosen for their originality and ability to extend Nothing’s visual identity. Each contributed to a distinct part of the product, from hardware to marketing.
Retro-futuristic hardware and packaging design Emre Kayganacl shaped the hardware and packaging, blending late-90s and early-2000s tech cues with Nothing’s transparent, minimalist design. The result aims to evoke the excitement of early consumer tech while feeling fresh and modern.
Accessories debut with the ‘Dice’ For the first time, the project included accessories. Designers Ambrogio Tacconi and Louis Aymonod introduced the Dice, an object inspired by global symbols of play and Nothing’s Ndot 55 font, adding a playful new dimension to the brand’s ecosystem.
Software created to reduce visual clutter Designer Jad Zock developed a custom lock screen clock using varying font weights for cleaner readability, plus four exclusive wallpapers that tie the device’s colours to its interface for a more unified aesthetic.
A limited-run device with exclusive India drop The Phone (3a) Community Edition is based on the Phone (3a) 12+256GB model. Only 1,000 units will be produced globally and priced at Rs 28,999 in India. It will be available exclusively at a drop event on 13 December 2025 at 33&Brew, Prestige Technostar, Bengaluru, between 2PM and 6PM.
